Winter
Winter is a special time in Pennsylvania’s Great Outdoors region, a time when scenery, spirit, and weather produce storybook scenes and fantastic outdoor adventures.
Pennsylvania Great Outdoors region offers dozens of exhilarating outdoor activities on forest trails, mountain slopes, and frozen lakes along with plenty of ways to warm you up when you’re done!
- Hiking We have hundreds of miles of marvelous trails awaiting your exploration. From flat, leisurely rail-trails to steep, rugged mountain routes, the variety here will appeal to everyone from young families to adventure seekers.
- Photography The stunning natural beauty of the region is enhanced when highlighted by a fresh coat of snow.
- Stargazing Cool, clear, and windless nights offer the best viewing conditions.
- Cross-Country Skiing and Snowshoeing are fun and easy to learn activities! Our region has some of the most scenic and exhilarating trails you’ll ever experience weaving through gorgeous stretches of forested land. Here’s a look at a few top picks to help you plan your adventure.
- Snowmobiling The vast Allegheny National Forest and the Elk State Forest provide snowmobilers easy access to the trail systems and give riders endless opportunities for outdoor adventure.
- Ice Skating and Sledding Cook Forest State Park has a lighted ice-skating pond, 10 acres of sledding slopes, and three designated cross-country ski trails along River Road.
- Elk Viewing Come experience Pennsylvania’s wild elk herd in the winter. There are many opportunities to view these majestic creatures in Elk and Cameron Counties including designated viewing areas, food plots at the Elk Country Visitor Center and along the Elk Scenic Drive.
- Winterfest in Marienville is January 31, 2026. The event features food, fun, raffles, sky lanterns and a snowmobile torchlight parade along with a vintage snowmobile display.
- Snowman in the Forest will happen on Saturday, February 14, 2026, in Cook Forest. Enjoy family fun, a chili cook-off, and carriage rides.
Find fun things to do in PAGO’s region on our Events page.
